First Impressions
by Jennie
Summary: First Impressions are lasting ones. Allison is running late on her first day. WilsonCameron


**Title: **First Impressions

**Author: **Jennie/Jen/Alethia

**Prompt:** 001. Beginnings

**Claim:** Wilson/Cameron

**Disclaimer:** House and everything associated with it is _not_ mine.

**Rating:** G

**Summary:** First Impressions are lasting ones.

**AN:** takes deep breath My first foray into House fan fic. Hopefully, it won't be too horrible.

**First Impressions**

She's late.

She _hates_ being late. She was taught as a child that punctuality is everything and that first impressions are lasting ones. No matter how many times it's been proved otherwise, the two sayings have always stuck with her, as phrases uttered constantly during childhood tend to do.

_At least_, she pants as she hurries up another flight of stairs, horribly lost inside the halls of Princeton Plainsborough Teaching Hospital, _it isn't really all my fault_. Though her alarm had been set and gone off at the proper time, she managed to trip getting out of bed. She went sprawling, banging her right arm rather painfully against the nightstand. When she finally managed to right herself, she realized that the hem of the skirt she was planning to wear was coming undone. Finally finding another proper skirt, she dashed into the kitchen for breakfast, and ended up spilling an entire cup of _hot_ coffee down her front just as she was about to leave. She ended up getting stuck in traffic, got lost _twice_ before finding her way to the hospital and then ended up in the Clinic until she managed to convince the attending nurse that she was _not_ a patient and was searching for Diagnostics. The nurse seemed to be blatantly shocked that such a 'pleasant young thing' wanted to find Dr. House- _is he really that bad, _she wonders- but gave her complicated directions. After two turns, she ended up in pediatrics, and resigned herself to being hopelessly lost.

She's thirty minutes late and already praying that the esteemed Doctor House hasn't tossed out her CV for lack of punctuality and that he'll still be open to interviewing her. She really _does_ want the job...

Sighing, she turns _another_ corner, and finds herself outside a door marked 'Department of Oncology'. And this is where the...she's lost count- disaster happens. As she stands outside the door, contemplating what to do _now_, the door swings open and a man almost plows her over in his haste to get out. She goes sprawling- _again_, she sighs ruefully- he lands on top of her and the two strangers stare at each other in complete wonder for a few seconds.

_Brilliant_.

She debates speaking, but he beats her to it. "Um, hi, yes, I'm extremely sorry..." He laughs nervously, taking in their positions and they both come to the same conclusion before rapidly untangling themselves. As luck would have it, he's ended up on top of her, his legs tangled in hers, his hips on top of hers. Not the best scene for anyone to walk into...

He's bright red as he stands up and she wonders if her face mirrors the same color. It wouldn't surprise her, she can feel the heat in her cheeks. He holds out his hand to her and she accepts, using his leverage to pull herself up. Having righted herself, the two of them simply stare at one another for a few seconds before bursting out in laughter.

_Not my usual reaction_, she muses. Then again, this is a new job, a new place, a new life, and perhaps it's time for a new Allison Cameron as well. _Perhaps_. And it is rather funny, she admits. Though she would be absolutely mortified had anyone else walked in on the scene.

"Hello," he finally says, rubbing the back of his neck, his cheeks still tinged red. "I'm really sorry about that- I wasn't expecting anyone to be standing there..."

"It's all right," she responds, taking the outstretched hand he offers. "I really shouldn't have been standing in front of the door."

They fall into a few seconds of silence before they both start to talk- at the same time. Once again falling into laughter, they both stop and motion for the other to go on. "Okay," he finally manages to get out. "If you don't mind me asking- is there anything I can help you with? I can only wonder what you were doing, standing in front of the Oncology Department."

Sighing in relief, she smiles. "Actually- yes. If it isn't too much trouble, could you help me find Diagnostics? I've been searching for awhile and I'm lost." Maybe this man- doctor, he's wearing a lab coat- will be a bit more help than the others she's asked to find her way.

"You're not too off," he replies, nodding his head down the hall. "All you have to do is go down the hall, take a right and walk down that hall and you'll end up there. But I'll show you," he adds, taking her arm.

"You don't have to, " she protests. "If I'm that close, I can probably handle it," she adds, "and I don't want to take you away from whatever you have to do- to go careening out of the door like _that_- I'm sure you're busy."

"No," he grins, and she has to confess that he really is a handsome man, with that sandy brown hair and dark eyes, and a grin that lights up his face, "I was just in a hurry to get away from a friend. Who I have managed to apparently escape," he adds, glancing quickly around them. "Believe me, if he saw _that_ between us, he'd never let me hear the end of it."

"And since there's no one here making fun of you, he can't be here?" She concludes.

"Yep." He starts down the corridor. "Come on, I'll take you now. By the way- what do you want with Diagnostics?"

She falls into step with him. "I'm interviewing for the fellowship position. At least," she concedes, "I was supposed to interview. I'm already half an hour late and I hope that I haven't missed out on my chance to interview."

The doctor laughs at that, shaking his head. "You'll be fine," he assures her. "I can guarantee you Doctor House isn't there yet." And then he gets a look of recognition on his face. "You're Doctor Cameron, correct? I remember she was supposed to interview this morning."

She nods, slightly confused. How could this particular doctor know who she is? And then it hits her and she flushes. "Oh my, you're not Doctor House, are you? I am _so_ sorry, I really shouldn't-"

"No, no, no!" He laughs at her, eyes shining. "I can promise you that I am _not_ Doctor House." And then he frowns suddenly. "I never _did_ introduce myself, did I?"

"Um…no, you didn't," she carefully replies, regarding him. "Of course, I never did either," she acknowledges, "so I'm to blame as well."

"Well then, we'll have to change that," he replies, sending her a cheerful smile and holding out his hand once again. She takes it and he shakes it sturdily. "Doctor James Wilson, Head of Oncology."

A department head. _Oh, what a _mess… While she had been embarrassed enough before, this certainly makes matters worse. She's just a fellow and this young doctor is already Head of Oncology and now she hears the name, she remembers quite a few lectures and articles that have mentioned him. He's a wonder in his field- and _she_ fatuously ran into him.

Apparently sensing her mortification, he is quick to soothe her. "Isn't this the part where you tell me your name?" He teases lightly, eyes twinkling. A flop of hair has ended up in his eyes and he moves his hand to brush it back. Somehow this gesture placates her and she shakes her head slightly to clear her mind.

"I- sorry, I'm just…"

"Floored? Appalled? Mortified?" He grins at her and she realizes that his grin is very catchy, causing her own spirits to rise. "I know I'm a bit of a klutz, but-"

"No!" She hurriedly interjects. "I mean I'm just, well, mortified," she admits, "but not at you. At myself, I mean. I mean…" since when has she ever been _this_ tongue-tied? She takes a breath, gathers herself. "I mean, I've _heard_ of you. And then I stupidly run into you and-"

"It's okay." His grin disappears and he suddenly becomes vaguely serious. "Really, Allison- may I call you that?" At her nod, he continues. "It was my fault. _I_ was the one in too much of a hurry to look where I was going. And _please_… I'm just James. Let's drop the formalities, please?"

Raised in a family where respect and upbringing where everything, she felt slightly mortified to be asked to be on a first-name basis with such a brilliant doctor. But his pleasant demeanor was contagious and she finally nodded in acceptance. "All right. And," she continued, with a slight smile touching her lips, "I'm Doctor Allison Cameron, an Immunologist who hopes to get the position working under Doctor House in Diagnostics."

"Nice to meet you, Allison."

"Nice to meet you, James."

Their hands linger together a few more seconds than they should, by society rules and manners, but she doesn't care- and from his expression, he doesn't either. There's something…_there_, something she can't place, but whatever it may be, she can feel its presence. They finally let their hands drop, just staring at one another, frozen in this one particular moment.

And the tranquility is shattered by the pounding of a cane on the floor as some…_patient_, she wonders, walks towards them. He's dressed rather scraggly and his voice is mocking when he reaches them. She notices out the corner of her eye that James has taken a step back to distance himself from her and a part of her is…disappointed. As if the course of fate has changed for ever and nothing will ever be the same…

"Really, Jimmy, going after the next girlfriend now? And what would the missus say?"

James shirks back. "No, I'm not." His voice is cold, a far cry from the easy teasing tone he had used with her previously. But her mind then picks up on the last comment of the crazy, inappropriate man's. _Missus_… Is he married? There's no ring on his finger…she checks inconspicuously, first casting her eyes on the floor before she glances slightly in the direction of his hands.

"And who's this?" The man leers at her and she fights back disgust. If only this guy will let her and James continue on towards Diagnostics. She's getting later every minute.

"I'm Doctor Cameron," she states. "And I'm really in a hurry-"

"You're here for the interview." He answers, his gaze changing to curious. "What do you think of me?"

"Of _you_?" James makes a halting motion with his hands, but she continues on. "I think you're a complete bastard who belongs in the Psych wing if you haven't just escaped from there."

He smirks and James seems to wince. "You're hired," the man finally says. "You start now. Go and get your ID and papers done and come back to Diagnostics."

"I'm _what_?" She stares at him. This _can't_ be happening. Yet there's a slight inkling that…

"You're hired," he repeats. "Go, bye-bye, ta-ta. See you."

No. It can't be. No way.

"Um, All- Dr. Cameron?" James coughs lightly. "I'd like to introduce you to Doctor Gregory House."

_Oh no._


End file.
